Botox Before and After

April 20, 2012

Botox has many uses, the most widely known being anti-wrinkle injections. It is a hugely popular in the cosmetic market today. Other than treating dynamic wrinkles such as crow’s feet, forehead lines and frown lines, Botox can also be used therapeutically to treat conditions such as TMJ, spasms and dystonia. The product is made from onabotulinumtoxinA, which can be dangerous and even deadly in the right quantities. Botox Cosmetic injections do not contain nearly enough toxin to kill a person. The formula is safe if administered by a qualified doctor.

In addition to this product, there are other brands of muscle relaxing injections available. These include Dysport, Myobloc and Xeomin. These types of injections work on those wrinkles which appear only after you pull a certain facial expression (called “dynamic wrinkles”). This is in contract to dermal fillers, which add volume in order to plump out static wrinkles. These are lines or furrows which are already existent on the face (such as nasolabial folds, marionette lines and smoker’s lines.

Things you should know before getting Botox

The formula is not made from animal products and accordingly no skin test is required

If it’s not injected correctly, you could end up looking awkward

It’s not a permanent solution

It’s suitable for both men and women, although males require more units

Botox cannot be used to plump out the lips

In the UK, prices are charged by the number of areas treated, not by the number of units

The results take a few days (anywhere between 2 and 7) to take effect

Uses of Botox

Botox is a very versatile treatment. The uses can be divided into two categories: aesthetic and medical. The formula is made to paralyze your muscles, which can be useful in many different aspects. Aesthetically, the movement of muscles in your face can lead to wear and tear of the skin, creating lines, folds and wrinkles in the skin. Botox can help stifle the onslaught of static lines by stopping the movements which cause them. Additionally, once you’ve had treatment you will no longer be able to generate those pesky furrows which appear as you smile, raise your eyebrows or frown (depending on the area where you have injections).

As for its medical use, these are also widespread ranging from treatment of chronic migraines and hyperhidrosis to urinary incontinence. It has been FDA approved to prevent headaches in adults who have 15 or more days of chronic migraines each month where the headaches persevere for at least 4 hours per day. Those who have an overactive bladder have also found relief where anticholinergic medication has caused too many side effects. Blepharospasm (irregular eye twitching) is another approved use for these injections in addition to muscle stiffness and neck pain.

Before treatment

If you’ve never had Botox or any other types of cosmetic injections before, then there are some things to ponder over. Before sitting down in front of the doc, do some research yourself over the internet. Read other people’s experiences with the treatment for your particular concern. If you’re not wrinkly yet, there are other ways to delay your skin from aging too fast. Looking after your skin while you’re still young can save you money in the long run by postponing your need for these treatments.

The biggest factor which causes wrinkles is sun exposure. Frying your body in the sun not only exposes you to the risks of skin cancer, but also significantly ages your skin. Use a 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin and wear a hat outdoors. Make sure to cleanse tone and moisturize your face daily and don’t overdo the facial expressions.

Another factor to consider before getting Botox injections is whether you need them in the first place. Are you feeling self-conscious because of something that happened lately, did someone comment on your wrinkles or are your friends or colleagues pressuring you into getting it done? All of these can add additional pressure to stay young and beautiful in todays’ lavish society. You need to consider whether the treatment is right for you? Will it make you any happier? Gain more respect? The choice is always yours. There’s no shame in having it done for the right reasons, just consider yours beforehand.

Risks, complications & side effects

When administered by an experienced doctor, Botox injections are fairly safe. Thousands of patients have the treatment regularly without ever experiencing side effects. In saying so, there can be mild or even severe effects involved and there are quite a few horror stories around. It’s common to experience some pain and bruising at the injection site. This is usually mild and disappears quickly. Other minor discomforts include redness and itching. Headaches, nausea, temporary muscle weakness and increased body sweat can also be experienced.

Sometimes the formula can leak into other unintended muscles or parts of the body. If this happens, you could end up with half of your face or smile being paralyzed. Whilst it’s not pretty to look at, this side effect won’t kill you. You’ll just need to wait several months before you can begin to look normal again. Unlike ha fillers which can be dissolved with Hyaluronidase, there’s nothing to speed up the process of getting Botox out of your system. Facial muscle paralysis isn’t the only embarrassing risk involved with this treatment. Some have also experienced problems with speech. This could be quite problematic, especially if you speak in front of large audiences for a living. Imagine a hypnotist entertainer or a motivation speaker not being able to talk coherently.

More alarming is the possibility of breathing difficulties or losing control of your bladder. Whatever Botox treatment you have, your doctor should fully explain all the possible risks involved. If you are not willing to risk some of the complications, there may be alternatives available for you to try.

Recovery time

There’s usually no downtime with Botox. You should be able to go straight back to work from the clinic. This is one of the great things about Botox: you walk into the clinic, get your injections done, no one notices a thing and in a few days, your wrinkles start to disappear. When done right, it works like magic and you don’t need to be bed bound, stay out of the sun or even apply creams (like after a chemical peel).

On the other hand, if you experience an allergic reaction or your skin develops a rash, peeling or blisters, then recovery can be quite irritating. After paying hundreds of dollars to improve your looks, developing nasty side effects is infuriating, but that’s the risk you take. If you’re having Botox injections for the first time, then you might like to take the rest of the day off work after your appointment just to see how you’ll cope with the treatment.

After the injections

You may not see any results in the first few days. The injections can take five days to a week to start working. After a week, you should see the full effect of the treatment. There’s a common misconception that Botox still makes you look like a freak by giving you that constant “surprised expression”. This isn’t the case anymore. The product and injection techniques have improved significantly since its introduction. In most cases, you won’t even notice that the patient has had a touch up. The only way Botox can become overly conspicuous is if too much liquid is injected or if the product is not injected properly. That’s why it’s important to see a doctor who’s done plenty of cosmetic Botox treatments before.

The results typically last between 3 and 4 months. The more you’ve used the product in the past, the longer the muscle paralysis will last. So don’t be surprized if your first treatment begins to wear off after two months. Once you’ve been receiving the injections for a few years, you may see it last anywhere between 3 and 6 months. Depending on your facial profile and the extent of aging, your doctor may suggest you combine the treatment with fillers such as Perlane or Juvederm. This can offer beautiful results. You may not recognize yourself afterward.

Cost

Botox is typically priced per unit, with $10 to $15 being the norm. When having specials, some clinics reduce their prices right down to $8 a unit whilst others can charge as much as $18 each. The number of units you need depends on whether you’re a male or female (men require more), the severity of your rhytids and which area you’re having treated. For example, the glabellar lines usually require 23-30 units for females and 30-40 for males. Before you have the treatment, ask your doctor for the full cost.

Opinions

I first started getting Botox around three years ago. Initially, I began with just the forehead lines and now I’m getting my crow’s feet done as well. So far I haven’t needed it between the eyebrows, I guess because I don’t frown that often (or I try not to anyways). My doctor always does a wonderful job. I’m scared if I ever move or if she closes her practice then I’ll have to find someone who’s just as good. I also feel that not being able to move these muscles has delayed me getting permanent wrinkles on my face, which is a bonus. Now I just have to convince by hubby to start getting his done (he scowl a lot).

Submitted by Libby on April 23, 2012

YouTube video

This YouTube video shows a man in his forties having Botox treatment for his anger lines (between the eyebrows) and small forehead lines. In the first minute, you will see the before and after photograph of the results together with footage of him trying to create forehead wrinkles by raising the eyebrows both prior to and following the procedure. This is followed by showing the treatment process with him being injected at the doctor’s clinic.

More before and after photos

Photo #1

Rebecca aged 28 had her forehead area treated with Botox. You can see clear horizontal forehead wrinkles when she raises the eyebrows prior to her appointment. After, these lines are no longer visible since the formula doesn’t allow these muscles to contract. She’s still quite young and doesn’t have deep embedded furrows yet. The injections will help delay the static counterparts of these forehead lines.

Photo #2

Liz had Botox injected to lift here eyebrows. Prior to the treatment, you can see her eyelids starting to droop. Botox can elevate the area to provide a more youthful appearance. This is much less invasive than fixing eyedroop with blepharoplasty surgery. Doctors need to be careful because using too much formula can give patients that wide-eyed surprized look.

Photo # 3

Ian has 38 units of Botox Cosmetic injected into the glabella area. Before, when he frowned you could see quite distinct vertical scowl marks (also known as the elevens). A few weeks following the injections, these 11s are no longer noticeable, making him appear calm, rested and more approachable.

Photo #4

Adrian experienced severe hyperhidrosis with lots of excessive sweating which impacted on his work and social life. After Botox injections, the sweating has been significantly reduced.

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